RUNNING NEWS ITEM

CIGNA Falmouth Road Race Raises $1 Million

TUESDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2007

The CIGNA Falmouth Road Race shattered its fund-raising record at last month's 35th running, raising $1.05 million for the 42 non-profit groups it supports with its "numbers-for-nonprofits" program.

Each year, the race directors provide guaranteed entries, exempt from the lottery and with an extended deadline, to selected charities. The charities then offer the entries to runners, who solicit donations for the non-profit. More than 600 people participated in the program this year. Runners in the 2006 race raised $861,318 and the total for the past five years is more than $3.5 million.

This year's top fundraiser was Falmouth-based Compassionate Care ALS, which received over $119,000. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute of Boston was a close second with $118,925.

The individual leader was Robin Davis of Newton, who collected more than $22,000 for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. "It was my first race ever," she reported. "I ran in honor of my husband, Andy, who has Crohn's disease. I was overwhelmed with the experience, the volunteers and the organization. It was very moving to make such a significant contribution to an often-overlooked charity, just by running seven miles! I am already signed up for a 10K in Boston this fall, and will definitely be back to Falmouth next year." The foundation raised more than $73,000.

A recent letter to the race directors from Falmouth resident Peg Enright, director of the Boston Ronald MacDonald House, summed up the importance of the program: "We are a small, community-supported non-profit and we have to raise over 85 percent of our annual operating budget ourselves ... The $70,000 we raised at Falmouth represents at least 10 percent of our annual operating budget. It is a fabulous event - for runners, donors, spectators and the children with cancer and their families whom we serve. It could not be more fun, more well-run or more successful. Thank you so much!"

Two other top individuals ran for Dana-Farber: Jim Kiley of Mashpee, Mass., with $13,000 and Kelly Ledwick of Falmouth and her team, $11,340. Ledwick runs for "CJ's Team" in honor of her son, who received life-saving treatment at Dana-Farber.

Lymphoma Research Foundation was a close third overall with just over $98,000, led by Lisa Horowitz of Bethesda, Md., a lymphoma patient herself. She and her team raised more than $20,000 for the foundation.

Also among the leaders were Children's Hospital of Boston, with $85,000, American Heart Association/Teddy's Team, $80,000, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, $51,800 and Joslin Diabetes Center, $50,200.

In addition to the money raised by runners, the race made direct donations to more than 25 local non-profits and sports teams, including the 102nd Fighter Wing Family Program; Bourne High School hockey; Boys Scout Troop 36; CapeAbilities; Cape Cod Center for Women; Cape Verdean Club of Falmouth; Cape Verdean Cultural Club for Kids; Celebration 2007; Cub Scout Pack 41; Falmouth Band Parents; Falmouth Community Television; Falmouth Figure Skating Club; Falmouth High School classes of 2009 and 2010; Falmouth High School field hockey, football, softball, volleyball, boys soccer, tennis and track; Falmouth Lions Soccer; Falmouth Teen Center; Falmouth Veterans Support Group; Waquoit Nursery School; Woods Hole Community Association, Year of the Reader and others.

Information about the non-profit groups in the program is listed at: FalmouthRoadRace.co.

Source:
www.runnersweb.com

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